Clash of the NeoSannin II
by Benjy122
Summary: After Danzo's disastrous Hokage reign tore the shinobi world asunder, Naruto and Sakura try to heal Konoha's bloody past and present. Their endeavors for peace are hampered by the rampant hatred in the ninja world, and the missing nin Sasuke Uchiha.
1. Chapter 1, Infiltration

**C****HAPTER**** I**

_**Infiltration**_

"NO, SASUKE-KUN! STOP!" Sakura screamed as Susanoo readied its arrow on the quiver. Sakura was running toward a ravaged landscape that had been pulverized by tremendous seismic activity. As she ran toward the cauterized and parched landscape, Susanoo, the ethereal warrior, had already completely enveloped Sasuke Uchiha, protecting him, attacking for him.

A hundred yards away directly across from Sasuke was Konohagakure's Hokage, Naruto Uzumaki. He was panting hard, a knee on the ground, completely spent after the protracted battle.

"_Sasuke_!" Sakura yelled: it was a desperate plea. She outstretched her hand. She wasn't going to make it, but she _had_ to make it.

Susanoo released the arrow.

Sakura Haruno woke from her nightmare drenched in sweat. After breathing heavily in an attempt to calm her nerves, she felt a suffusion of dread blossom and spread deep inside her heart. Naruto was in danger. She knew it. She felt it. There were plenty of reasons why many in the shinobi world wished for Naruto's death.

Tears welled in Sakura's eyes. He always had to shoulder the burdens of others.

Sakura swallowed.

No, she thought. I must not doubt. Naruto is fine. He always manages to eke out a victory, in spite of the odds. And he's counting on me for this mission's success.

Sakura sat up. The wooden floorboards croaked as she got off her bed and stepped out of her room. Now outside, she looked up at the predawn night sky. The receding stars told her that the sun would rise within the hour. The ocean's waves crashed against the boat's bow, rocking it gently, and the salty sea air was beginning to dampen her hair. She took a loose strand of hair blowing on her face and carefully tucked it behind her ear.

A kuniochi materialized by her side.

"Sakura-sama," the kuniochi said, "do you need anything?"

Sakura stared at the vast ocean before her. She heard in the distance the faint squawks of sea gulls. We're almost there, she thought.

"No, Moegi," Sakura replied, turning to the shinobi beside her. "You can go rest now. I'll take over your shift."

"_Hai_," Moegi said. She bowed her head and vanished.

Moegi has grown into a strong kuniochi, Sakura thought. She has become a great medical ninja in her own right. With the way things are going, a few more months of training and she could be ready to sign the contract with Katsuyu.

Sakura smiled a weak smile. Yes, she had found an eager and willing pupil, but she couldn't help but lament the circumstances that had propelled Moegi to study under her tutelage. Moegi had attempted to save Konohamaru's life with her limited medical jutsu after Konohamaru had valiantly but stupidly stood up to Danzo when Danzo had been Konohagakure's Hokage. Moegi had tried to repair Konohamaru's heart, lungs, and other vital organs, but Danzo's wind jutsu had lacerated Konohamaru beyond the ken of Moegi's medical jutsu knowledge. She had done all she could, but it hadn't been enough. Konohamaru died in her arms. Moegi had vowed since that day that she would be a useful shinobi in battle and to never again lose another shinobi companion. It was an admirable goal and dream, but Sakura knew that in the midst of war even she, now the greatest and most renowned medical justsu expert of the known shinobi world, could not save everyone.

The nascent sunlight perforated the dark purple sky with its golden blades. In spite of her many missions as a Genin, Chunnin, and now a high-ranking Jonin, Sakura had never taken the opportunity to see and breathe the beauty of an emerging dawn out at sea. She was amazed by nature's unfolding splendor before her, but her wonder ceased and retreated with her caution. The path ahead would be difficult. Attempting to infiltrate Kirigakure in direct defiance of the Fifth Mizukage's orders was suicidal. Only a shinobi of her caliber could possibly be able to cross the path of Kirigakure's finest shinobi to speak with the Mizukage herself.

After standing thirty minutes at the boat's bow, three shinobis materialized behind Sakura. The boat had just sailed into Kirigakure's borders.

"Sakura," Moegi said.

"I know," Sakura said.

A grainy mist suddenly began to materialize, hovering over the ocean's placid waves, obstructing any view beyond ten feet.

"Ready yourselves," Sakura said.

The boat sailed deep into the thick mist. Withdrawing their kunai, Sakura and the shinobi all gave their backs to each other, making a round formation, looking at all sides for any possible attacks.

But there wasn't any.

A tense minute passed by. Every second was full of anticipation.

"Ko," Sakura said to the shinobi at her right side, a young man from the Hyuga clan.

"_Byakugan_!" Ko said. His large white eyes began to scan their environs. Sakura saw a pained look of concern come to his face. "S-S-Sakura-sama," he began to stammer.

"I do believe," a soft, feminine voice said, "you're a little too late for that."

The voice came from the middle of the small ship's deck.

Sakura took the front of her ninja group. The mist began to dissipate. As it receded, Sakura began to make the outlines of their surroundings. There were surrounded by two ships, but in the middle of their ship, Sakura saw the outlines of three figures. In the middle was a beautiful woman with long hair and beautiful green eyes. She was smiling.

"I see that Konoha's Hokage has defied my orders and sent his slug to my domain."

Sakura and the other shinobis fell to one knee.

"Mizukage-sama," Sakura said, "we come in peace—"

"I'm not interested in what you have to say," the Mizukage said. "Your leader has sent you to your deaths. Know that before you die."

Sakura's eyes widened as the Mizukage began to form hand seals…


	2. Chapter 2, Mizukage and Sakura

**C****HAPTER**** II**

_**Negotiations: Mizukage and Sakura**_

"_Yōton: Yōkai no Jutsu_!"

The Mizukage expectorated a blob of lava. The lava spread out, forming a bell shape, and descended over Sakura and her team.

"_Kuchiyose no jutsu_!"

Katasuyu emerged from a large puff of smoke, but with its massive weight, Katsuyu smashed the wooden boat asunder. The Mizukage and her ninja team dispersed and landed in a crescent shape formation on the water. Katsuyu began to sink, but as quickly as it had appeared, it disappeared. Sakura and her team of ninjas reemerged where Katsuyu once stood. Sakura released a scroll from one of her front pockets and after completing a series of seals, she opened the scroll and a barrier materialized around her and her team.

"Mizukage-sama," Sakura cried, "we come in peace!"

"Tell that to someone who cares," Mizukage retorted.

Kirigakure ninjas launched a wave of water elemental projectiles at Sakura and her team, but the barrier withstood the multiple onslaughts.

"Humph," Mizukage said, amused, "that's quite a barrier."

Sakura knelt down on one knee.

"Mizukage-sama," Sakura said, "I have come personally to heal your shinobi from Tsukiyomi."

Mizukage's face remained unmoved by Sakura's words, but after another heavy barrage of water attacks, Sakura's barrier wobbled and began to disintegrate. Sakura and her team were preparing themselves for a counterattack when Mizukage suddenly raised her arm and said, "That's enough."

The Mizukage walked toward Sakura, moving up and down, side to side because of the undulating waves.

Sakura stood her ground. She knew little about the Mizukage's abilities, or her manner of thinking, but what she did know was that she needed to tread carefully with her actions and words. She and her ninjas were in Kirigakure's territory, and the Mizukage had the advantage. And if it came to a one on one battle, Sakura knew that her probability for survival was little to none. She had heard that even Sasuke himself had faced difficulties in his encounters with the Mizukage.

"What do you know about the Uchiha boy?" the Mizukage demanded.

Sakura remained calm. It must be an embarrassing for Kirigakure to know that Konoha had gotten wind of their defeat.

"Very little," Sakura said. "All we know is Sasuke Uchiha infiltrated your borders over a month ago. An army of Kirigakure's shinobi attempted to stop him but failed. Those who survived are comatose with the Tsukiyomi Genjutsu."

The Mizukage smiled.

"I should kill all of you right now," she said, still grinning.

Sakura felt the palpable fear of her comrades accumulate behind her.

"Mizukage," Sakura said, "we come to your aid to heal your shinobi. The Uchiha clan was once part of Konoha—"

"And as such you should have executed him a long time ago!" the Mizukage screamed. "Your Hokage is worthless! He faced the Uchiha boy in battle and he had him, but what did he do? He let him slip through his fingers! The fool attempted to talk to him, to turn him around, but Sasuke Uchiha dealt him a death blow! If it wasn't for you, he would've been dead!"

Sakura attempted to be impervious to the Mizukage's upbraiding. A part of her wanted to put a fist in her mouth, but another part—and it was ever-growing in the past recent months—agreed with the Mizukage.

"What may, or may not have been the situation," Sakura said, "the point is we have a situation on our hands that needs to be resolved. Konoha is extending its hand. Will you accept our help? If not, we will turn around and leave you be."

The Mizukage looked at Sakura for a long time. Sakura knew she was trying to judge her.

"Sasuke Uchiha is still at large in our territory," the Mizukage said. "If, per chance, we were to run into him, what would you and your team do?"

Sakura swallowed hard.

"My orders were to be at your disposal until your shinobi were healed."

"So," the Mizukage said, smiling again, clapping her hands in a jovial gesture, "that settles it. You fight at my side to take the renegade down."

The Mizukage turned around and ordered her shinobi to clean up the ship's debris.

By now, the sun had already emerged over the horizon. In the distance, Sakura heard the faint but sharp squawking of a hawk. She turned to her team and saw the apprehensiveness in their faces. Sakura too was a bit reluctant to be under the Mizukage's wing, but she needed to show strength, resolve, and leadership to her fellow comrades.

Sakura and her team began to follow the Mizukage towards the shore.

I will heal their shinobi as soon as possible, Sakura thought. After that, we will begin hunting Sasuke down…


	3. Chapter 3, Convalescing

_******__Thanks Remnant Soldier for reminding me that I still had this story pending. _

**C****HAPTER**** III**

_**Convalescing **_

It was worse than what she had anticipated. Sakura was standing yards away from the hospital tents, but she could smell the malodorous, pungent stench of singed flesh.

"How many are there?" Sakura asked.

The Mizukage looked at the hospital tents. She was visibly angry, but in spite of her mood, Sakura noticed the look of concern and frustration lined behind the anger.

"Twenty-one," the Mizukage replied. "Out of one-hundred and fifty shinobi, twenty-one managed to survive." The Mizukage turned to Sakura. She smiled a pseudo smile. "But we have already lost six to complications."

The Mizukage walked in a circular motion around Sakura.

"But now that you are here," the Mizukage said, "we shan't lose anymore lives."

Sakura's green eyes looked at the ground. She couldn't guarantee that. The Uchiha jutsus were devastatingly powerful, and she wasn't sure if her medical prowess was enough to counter the inflicted damage.

Sakura was caught off guard when the Mizukage grabbed her chin—almost violently—and forced her to look into her eyes.

"As Tsunade-sama's disciple," the Mizukage said, "I expect a lot from you. You're the heir to her legacy. Yes, child, I knew your master. Surprised? You shouldn't be." The Mizukage let go of Sakura's chin. She turned her eyes toward the tent. "You may not be Konohagakure's Hokage, but it's obvious that you're more sensible than Uzumaki Naruto. I'm sure you see the shades and colors of this world like I do." Then, with a knowing gaze toward Sakura, the Mizukage added, "And if you expect to survive, you need to get over Uchiha Sasuke."

Sakura uttered an audible gasp.

"Haven't you realized it yet?" the Mizukage said. "We women need to be far more skillful than men. And terribly intelligent. Perhaps that's why I never married, and am firmly resolved never to do so."

A group of medical ninjas and nurses approached Sakura and the Mizukage. They carried in their arms clean linens, bandages, ointments, medicinal herbs, and other paraphernalia. The Mizukage glared at Sakura before she took leave to consult with her shinobi.

Sakura took off her gloves and walked toward the tent.

"Get Moegi," Sakura ordered one of the nurses.

Sakura pulled back the tarp and walked in.

The smell of singed flesh immediately overpowered Sakura's olfactory senses. It took a concerted effort to prevent herself from regurgitating the food she had eaten only hours before. She covered her mouth and nose, but her widened eyes revealed her shock. Every body had first-degree burns. The upturned, cauterized flesh—twisted and charred and replete with infected puss—appeared to have given up in its attempt to heal itself.

Sakura walked down the tent's narrow corridor. There was no holding back what was clearly visible to the naked eye: torn human muscle, fractured bones, missing limbs…in all her years as a medical ninja, in spite of the horrors she had witnessed in the battlefield, she had never encountered such flagrant disregard for human life. The wounds, the burnings—they weren't inflicted with the intent to kill. They were inflicted with the intent to torture.

Sakura's heart missed a beat. At the edge of the corridor, on the last two beds, were two small bodies. Children?

One of small bodies had bandages wrapped around the head, covering three-fourths of the entire face. Even through the bandages, Sakura could clearly see that half of the child's jaw was caved in.

"Why are they here?" Sakura asked. Her eyes welled with tears.

"The platoon," one of the attending medical ninjas said, "began to retreat after they lost a substantive number of shinobi. Uchiha Sasuke pursued. The battle continued to a river where there was a fishing post run by a family. The family was caught in the crossfire. These two children are all that are left."

Tears ran down Sakura's cheeks.

Sasuke, Sakura thought, who are you?

"Sakura-sama," Moegi said. "You called for me?"

Sakura felt a hand touch her shoulder. She wiped the tears from her eyes and turned around.

"I need your help," Sakura said.

Sakura walked outside the tent. The sun's rays hurt her moist eyes. In spite of her efforts to conjure inner strength, her eyes continually betrayed her.

Sakura sliced her thumb, and after a series of seals, summoned Katsuyu.

"Sakura-sama," Katsuyu greeted her mistress.

"I need you to divide and attach yourself to those injured inside this tent," Sakura said.

Moegi walked up next to Sakura.

"Sakura-sama," Moegi said, "why did you summon Katsuyu?"

The massive slug began to release a number of clones, and the clones moved inside the hospital tent, attaching themselves to the burnt bodies.

"I'm going to heal them simultaneously," Sakura said.

"Forgive me, Sakura-sama," Moegi replied, "but isn't that highly impractical? It would consume more chakra than necessary. Wouldn't it be better if we healed them individually?"

"No," Sakura said. "If we did that, we would never be able to heal them to the way they used to be. They would be healed, but they would be left scarred and deformed, hardly resembling anything human."

"But that's all we can do," Moegi replied.

"No," Sakura said. "I can do more. A lot more. When I'm done, I'll be completely vulnerable. I'm entrusting you with my body, Moegi."

Moegi immediately understood.

"You're going to release your seal?"

"Yes," Sakura said, sending chakra to her feet. She jumped high into the air and landed on top of Katsuyu's head.

"What are you going to do, Sakura-sama?" Moegi cried out.

"You'll see," Sakura said.

It was a technique that had taken her years to master. It was a technique that she had developed thanks to her former master and mentor—Tsunade and Chiyo. Chiyo had saved Sakura in their battle against Sasori and had personally sacrificed her life to save Gaara. Chiyo had mastered the ability to transfer her own life force into another. Tsunade had taught Sakura the Genesis Rebirth jutsu and the ability to heal multiple shinobi using Katsuyu as a medium to transfer healing chakra. By fusing both techniques, Sakura had mastered the ability to transfer her Genesis Rebirth jutsu thru Katsuyu to fatally injured shinobi. She had yet to actually employ the technique because the number of people she could heal was limited, but Sakura was determined to atone Sasuke's sins.

I have to do this, Sakura thought. It shortens my life, but I have to do this. I'm partly to blame. I had the opportunity to kill Sasuke, but I didn't do it.

Sakura did a number of seals.

"_Ninpou-Souzousaisei_!"

Rivulets of chakra began to pour out of Sakura's diamond seal, traveling all over her crown and down her body. Immediately, Sakura's entire body was emblazoned in a blue blaze of chakra. The fire gradually dissipated as Katsuyu absorbed it.

Yes, Sakura thought holding steadfast to her locked seal. It's working.

In her mind, Sakura could see and perceive the wounded shinobi and children via the Katsuyu clones. Her healing chakra was seeping into them. She began the process of rapid mitotic cell division. All at once, like a skilled seamstress simultaneously hand-sewing on multiple canvasses, Sakura began to restructure fractured bones, heal perforated stomachs and kidneys, restore collapsed lungs, adjust dislocated vertebrae, and awaken psychologically ravaged minds that had been tortured by Tsukiyomi.

"It is finished," Sakura said.

The numbness began at the base of her neck and spread rapidly like an electric current down her spine to her limbs.

"Sakura-sama," Katsuyu cried out in alarm.

Sakura collapsed. On her back, she looked up at the heavens, at the clear blue sky and the birds that carelessly flew thru the clouds, oblivious to the happenings below them.

"Sakura-sama!" Moegi cried. Moegi was suddenly next to Sakura, on top of Katsuyu's head, holding Sakura's hand, checking Sakura's pulse.

The jutsu had taken a lot more out of her than what she had originally anticipated.

"W-was I success-ful?" Sakura managed to ask.

Sakura's ability to hear was leaving her and a loud ringing noise was beginning to take place, but in spite of it, she could hear the muffled frenzy of nurses and medical ninja crying out about the miraculous event that had taken place before them.

"They're waking up!" they shouted in unison. "They're waking up!"

Through the corner of her eyes, Sakura saw shinobi jumping left and right like eager grasshoppers, spreading the good news to friends and family.

Sakura looked up at Moegi. Moegi smiled and nodded yes. She had been successful.

Sakura was spent. Her whole body had already gone numb. The loud ringing in her ears had reached a crescendo. Her eyelids felt heavy. She began to close them.

I did it, Sakura thought. I did it.

As she drifted to sleep, Sakura couldn't help but realize the great irony of her life: she had been given the gift to repair the irreparable, heal the unhealable, and give hope to the hopeless, yet the wound that she carried in her own heart, laden with doubt and dolorous despair, had yet to even begin to heal.

Sasuke, Sakura thought…


	4. Chapter 4, Subterfuge

**C****HAPTER**** IV — **_**Subterfuge**_

What Haruno Sakura remembered most about the Fifth Great Shinobi War was how little she actually went outside the confines of Konoha's borders, yet she managed to personally witness and be privy to the hand-to-hand melees of the ninety-four day siege. During the war, the emergency alarms resonated across Konoha's mountainous landscape at dawn, warning the citizenry to seek shelter. Sakura would go to the Hokage palace's roof, envelop herself in a ritual seal, and dispense her healing chakra to Konoha's shinobi through Katsuyu's clones while she was carefully guarded on every cardinal point by Hyuga Neji, Nara Shikamaru, Rock Lee, and Aburame Shino.

War, with its vindictive fury and cry, was at Konoha's doors. The Leaf Village found itself surrounded by the great shinobi nations who had invaded Konoha with a fierce determination to burn the village to the ground after suffering years of oppression under Danzo's draconian regime.

Three months of continual warfare had exhausted Konoha's armies. The shinobi nations had destroyed Konoha's roads and blocked any provisions from entering the village. Rations were limited, food was scarce, looting was becoming commonplace, and in spite of Uzumaki Naruto's attempt to reassure his citizens, the newly elected Hokage was confounded in how to appropriately respond to the collective, gargantuan wrath and military siege of the shinobi nations.

"Sakura," Naruto said as he paced back and forth inside the Hokage's office, donning the full Hokage regalia, "if we're going to survive, we're going to have to end this war in one decisive battle."

Sakura could see tears welling in Naruto's eyes. He stopped behind his desk and looked outside the window. The Hokage's desk, which was normally cluttered with mountainous and endless paperwork of shinobi missions, was now mostly cleared save for the never-ending scrolls that listed the names of the recently deceased soldiers, and the daily warnings of Konoha's farmers for the Hokage to take action of the dwindling food supply.

"I didn't want it to be this way," Naruto said. "I tried for peace, but they all refused…"

Sakura walked up to Naruto, placed her hand on his shoulder, and looked out to the panoramic view of the village as well. The trees were barren. The village's power supply had been cut during the first week of the invasion, and now that they were in the middle of one of the most brutal winters of recent memory, the citizenry had scavenged and stripped the once ever-green trees for firewood. The rivers that ran through the village were poisoned, at first deliberately by the other shinobi nations, but with the continual warfare in the mountains, the ninja corpses floated downstream and made the water undrinkable.

"I'm going to attack at full power," Naruto said. "If I fail—"

"You won't," Sakura quickly cut in, looking directly into Naruto's eyes.

Naruto's gaze looked down at the floor. The resplendent luster of his eyes, always friendly, always warm, was slowly dying. The onerous responsibilities of being Hokage during wartime and the split-second decisions that determined the life and death of many a shinobi had taken its toll. That refulgent optimism, that affable aura Naruto always radiated and instilled in others during his younger years was diminishing. He seldom smiled now.

"Naruto," Sakura said, "you can do this. I believe in you. All of Konoha believes in you."

Naruto looked up.

"Promise me if I don't come back—"

Sakura began to protest.

"Please," Naruto said, putting his forefinger on Sakura's lips, silencing her. "Please promise me that if I don't make it back, you'll rebuild Konoha to what she once was." Naruto placed his hands behind his back like the way the Third Hokage used to when Naruto and Sakura were Genin training at the ninja academy.

How he has aged, Sakura thought. Naruto's once proud and strong shoulders were now starting to hunch forward, and his endless insomnia had deepened the black bags underneath his eyes.

"You're Uzumaki Naruto," Sakura said, "student of the Great Toad Sage Jiraya, one of the Legendary Sannin, and the great Copy Ninja Hatake Kakashi. You're the son of the Fourth Hokage and you're the Seventh Hokage of Konohagakure. When you come back from battle, we'll rebuild Konoha together."

Naruto smiled. It was one of his charming smiles, wrinkling the corner of his eyes.

The following day, with a Katsuyu clone on his shoulder, Uzumaki Naruto walked to Konoha's large wooden gates, opened them, and then personally engaged in battle with the Kages and their armies.

Haruno Sakura could only perceive Naruto's battle from the Hokage palace.

Every muscle in Sakura's body ached. The pain was reminiscent of the intense training sessions she used to have with Tsunade. But the pain comforted Sakura. It told her that she was alive and that her body was returning to normalcy after releasing the seal on her forehead. Gradually, Sakura could begin to hear and notice bodies moving around her. Her body felt heavy. It was another after effect of the jutsu. How long had she slept?

"Sakura-sama," she heard a feminine voice call out to her, "are you coming to?"

Sakura slowly opened her eyes, and bit-by-bit, her vision came into focus. Moegi smiled.

"Right on time," Moegi said.

After a concerted effort, Sakura managed to say, "How long was I out for?"

"You slept for thirty-six hours."

"Thirty-six hours?" Sakura said incredulously. Under the best and most auspicious of circumstances, she would normally wake in three days.

"_Hai_," Moegi replied. "I injected proteins, vitamins, and other essential nutrients into your bloodstream while you were unconscious and accelerated your convalescence. Your chakras are almost fully recovered. Just a good, hearty meal my Lady, and a few more hours of rest so the grogginess can subside, and you should be back at full capacity."

Sakura was in the hospital ward. She knew it the moment her olfactory senses returned. She could smell hospital. Sakura sat up.

"I'm proud of you," Sakura said. She looked at Moegi and saw Moegi smile again. At that moment, Sakura felt blessed to have Moegi as her student. "I don't have very much left to teach you."

Moegi's smiled vanished.

"Of course you do, Sakura-sama!" Moegi replied. "There are many things that I don't know how to do—"

"Which can only come from battlefield and hospital experience," Sakura said. "You already have the raw skills and reflexes of a medical specialist." Sakura placed her hand on top of Moegi's. Her pupil had come so far in such a short amount of time. "When we return to Konoha, I'll train you how to use Katsuyu and you'll cease being my pupil."

"But Sakura-sama—"

"Moegi," Sakura said, "it's time for you to train other shinobi. You'll be assigned your own hospital unit, your own Genin team. You'll also be my personal assistant when I train the new medical ninja teams. Konoha terribly needs them. Most of our medical units were wiped out in the great shinobi war."

Moegi already possessed the knowledge and skills of the most elite medical ninjas in the entire shinobi world. Was Sakura asking too much of her? Moegi, after all, was only sixteen. But so many children were growing up at incredibly fast pace in the past few years. During the last Chunin exams where Sakura had been one of the proctors, almost half of the ninja units had yet to turn ten years old. Countless children had been made orphans in the wars against Danzo's imperial reign and in the subsequent invasion against Konoha. For an impoverished, starving child, becoming a shinobi had become a golden ticket to access food, shelter, and a sense of security in such an insecure world. So many of the shinobi nations had yet to rebuild stable infrastructures. With the exception of Konoha, coup attempts against the Kages had become the norm and internal factions continued to tear asunder the sociopolitical landscapes of the shinobi nations.

There was a knock at the door and Sakura turned her attention to it. The Mizukage walked in, smiling, surrounded by her bodyguards and said, "I see you're alive and well."

Sakura sat up from the bed and attempted to stand. Her legs felt wobbly, but she managed.

"With your permission," Sakura said, "we would like to spend the night. We return to Konoha at dawn."

"Nonsense," the Mizukage said. "Feel free to stay as long as you like until you fully recuperate. After what you did for our shinobi, it's the least my countrymen and I can do for you." The Mizukage turned to one of the shinobi at her side. "Make sure our guests are comfortable."

Sakura was grateful, but a part of her wanted to leave to begin hunting down Sasuke.

"May I ask the Mizukage a favor?" Sakura asked.

The Mizukage's smile widened even more.

"Of course," she said. "We are in your debt."

"If possible," Sakura said, "my team and I would like to hunt Uchiha Sasuke."

The warm smile on Mizukage's face froze.

"That is rather problematic," the Mizukage said. "You see, it's not that we do not trust you, Haruno Sakura, especially after your heroic endeavor in healing our shinobi, but as Mizukage of Kirigakure, I cannot have Konohagakure shinobi traveling unrestricted inside my domain."

"I understand," Sakura said.

The warmth came back to Mizukage's face.

"But perhaps we can come to an arrangement," the Mizukage said. She approached Sakura and stood before her. "Meet me alone at the hill east of here."

"Alone?" Sakura said.

The Mizukage eyed Moegi.

"Yes," the Mizukage said. "Alone. The Hokage acted in blatant disregard to my orders when you and your team trespassed inside my territory, and though you may trust your shinobi with your life, I don't. We shall negotiate the repercussions of the Hokage's actions and perhaps we can reach an agreement with regards to Uchiha Sasuke."

The Mizukage and her bodyguards left.

Moegi turned to Sakura.

"Forgive me, Sakura-sama," Moegi said, "but the way she just looked at me right now, I-I just don't trust her."

"I don't either," Sakura said. "Tell me, what happened when I was unconscious?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary, really," Moegi said. "The Mizukage was mostly busy attempting to quell an insurgency. We could hear the blasts of a nearby battle, but after she personally attended to it, we only heard silence afterwards. Kirigakure shinobi have kept a close, watchful eye on Ko. The Mizukage flat out told him to not use his Byakugan because she didn't want him to see Kirigakure's capabilities. She told him if he did otherwise, she would consider it an act of war. And while I attended to you, all the while, the Mizukage looked at me intently and asked about my medical ninja training. Sakura-sama, I think it would be best that you at least take Ko with you when you meet her."

"I'd like to, Moegi," Sakura said, "but as long as we are in her territory, she makes the rules."

Sakura and her team ate dinner. They sat quietly and uncomfortably and cast furtive glances at each other because the dinner table was surrounded by a dozen Kirigakure shinobi. Though the Kirigakure shinobi wore lower-level Chunin attire, Sakura—as well as Moegi—could tell from their physical movements that the shinobi in their midst were high level Jounin.

The meal, in spite of the subtle hostility, had served its purpose. After an hour's rest, Sakura closed her eyes, concentrated, and a diamond seal once again materialized on her forehead. Hours later, after each shinobi had taken to bed, each with an eye half open, a shinobi came in to their tent and announced that the Mizukage was prepared to converse with Sakura. Moegi didn't say anything, but the look of concern and worry in her eyes clearly conveyed her sentiments. Ko rose from his bed, but with a wave of her hand, Sakura ordered him to stay.

Sakura left the tent and walked quietly in between four shinobi. Their movements, their strut, and their affinity to keep angling their necks and faces to avert Sakura's eyes: ANBU, Sakura thought. They soon acme to an arroyo that surrounded the hill. Tall, thick and densely forested trees surrounded the hill as well. At the hill's apex stood the Mizukage, looking out at the emerging dawn.

The shinobi stopped walking with Sakura and motioned for her to meet the Mizukage on her own. Sakura walked quietly over the water and began to climb the hill. She began to experience an intense feeling of unease. She knew she was surrounded. But by how many shinobi, she could not tell. The Mizukage's powerful chakra masked the other shinobis' chakra very well.

"Haruno Sakura," the Mizukage said as soon as Sakura reached her within hearing distance, "why is it that when women tell men 'no,' all they can hear is 'yes'?"

Sakura remained silent.

"I thought the Hokage was different from other men, that he truly understood me," the Mizukage said. "But in the end, he disappointed me. Typical. He is, after all, a man."

"Why did you call me here?" Sakura said.

As if remembering something, the Mizukage came to and turned to face Sakura.

"Ah, yes," the Mizukage said, "you told me that you were leaving back to Konoha at dawn. You may take your leave."

An awkward silence took hold. Sakura didn't know how to respond. She thought of Sasuke, but in the end, she realized that it was best if she didn't push the envelope. She would return to Konoha and rethink another strategy.

"Thank you," Sakura said, bowing. "I shall inform my team."

"No," the Mizukage said. "I said _you_ could return to Konoha. I never said your team could or would."

"What?"

"The medical specialist and the Byakugan users stay here with me in recompense for the Hokage's insult against me and my country. They now belong to me. As for you, you may leave."

Sakura stood motionless, jaw wide open.

"You are mad!" she cried out.

The Mizukage smiled.

"Come again?" she said nicely.

Sakura knew she needed to proceed carefully.

"I'll stay with my team," Sakura said. "I shall write to the Hokage and inform him of the terms you are seeking and await his orders and response to proceed accordingly."

"No," the Mizukage said. "Either you leave now or I will personally remove you from my country."

Sakura tightened her fists. What could she do? To defy the Mizukage would not only be a personal affront, but any semblance of an attack could lead to an open declaration of war. Naruto had worked so hard to achieve peaceful treaties, but the Mizukage was deliberately inciting Konohagakure.

The flash of lightning blades caught Sakura and the Mizukage off guard. They heard the simultaneous low, guttural grunts of men screaming out in pain. The lightning blades began to pull back and pinned directly on them like flies on a needle were several ANBU ninjas.

Sakura turned to her left and she saw a shadowy figure walking towards her from the forest. The red eyes glistened in the darkness. He stepped forward, and the sunlight peeled away the darkness.

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura said. "What are you doing here?"

Sasuke released his jutsu. The dozen floating bodies collapsed to the ground.

"Isn't it obvious?" Sasuke said. "I'm here to save your life."

"Save my life?" Sakura cried out in confusion.

"No one will destroy Konoha," Sasuke said, glaring directly at Mizukage, "except me."


	5. Chapter 5, Hidden Secrets, Broken Hearts

**C****HAPTER**** V — H****IDDEN**** S****ECRETS, ****B****ROKEN**** H****EARTS**

"Well," the Mizukage said to Sasuke, "you finally decided to show yourself." The Mizukage surveyed the lifeless shinobi bodies before her and then turned to Sakura and said, "If you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to."

"Don't bother attacking," Sakura said. She swallowed and tightened her fists. "We're already trapped in _Tsukiyomi_."

The Mizukage didn't have the chance to react. In a blink of an eye, she was crucified in the sky, her body bound by coiled razor wires, her limbs pinned by iron nails.

Sasuke's crimson Sharingan stared at the Mizukage. His murderous intent tightened the razor wires. The iron nails burrowed deeper into the Mizukage's flesh.

The Mizukage closed her eyes. She then bit her lower lip. A trickle of blood ran down her chin. She slowly opened her eyes. If the Mizukage was in excruciating pain, her stoic demeanor gave no hint of it. She smiled.

"Curse you and your Sharingan," she said.

Sasuke waved his hand and an iron bit gag materialized in the Mizukage's mouth, binding it shut.

Sasuke turned his undivided attention to Sakura. They stared at each other.

"Out of all the Konohagakure shinobi, why did he send you?" Sasuke said.

"I'm the only person capable of neutralizing the effects of _Tsukiyomi_," Sakura said.

Sasuke took one step toward Sakura.

"You lie," Sasuke said. He was suddenly behind Sakura, talking directly into her ear. "Your assistant is more than capable."

Sakura's eyes widened. Moegi! Ko!

"What have you done with them?" Sakura demanded.

"Nothing," Sasuke said. "Yet."

Sakura was uncertain of what to do. As long as she was ensnared in Sasuke's Genjutsu, she was incapable of counter-attacking and her body was completely vulnerable to an attack; yet, in spite of her precarious dilemma, her thoughts and concern were with Moegi and Ko.

Long, thick chains engraved with kanji seals erupted from the earth and wrapped themselves around Sakura's body like a boa constrictor wraps itself around its prey.

"I sensed the power of your chakras the moment you stepped foot on this land," Sasuke said. He became an amorphous shape floating in the air, and then he disintegrated into several hawks that flew around and around Sakura and the Mizukage, circling them, taunting them, and then the hawks seamlessly coagulated into a pair of two scarlet Sharingan eyes against the backdrop of an onyx sky. "Naruto knew that your presence would bring me to you."

Sakura struggled with the chains. They were getting thicker and heavier. Why wasn't she able to use her strength? She was getting crushed. She was having a hard time breathing. The seals on the chains, Sakura thought. They won't let me disrupt the chakra flow in my body. I can't hold on much longer…if these chains continue…must try to break free…can't breathe…can't…

Sakura's heart stopped beating.

The light in her eyes faded away.

Sakura was dead.

When Haruno Sakura came to and opened her eyes, she saw Uchiha Sasuke standing before the Mizukage, Kusanagi blade aloft, ready to decapitate the leader of Kirigakure. Sakura reached for a shuriken in her pouch and launched it at Sasuke.

_Ping_! The shuriken ricocheted off into the distance when Sasuke parried the attack with his Kusanagi sword. His eyes turned and looked intently at Sakura.

"Impressive," he said.

Sakura was down on one knee, breathing hard, attempting to get in as much oxygen into her lungs and circulatory system. She had deliberately forced her body to undergo cardiac arrest to literally play possum. It was a dangerous gamble to force her body to shut down instantaneously, with the offhand chance she wouldn't be able to wake again, but it was the only efficacious way she knew of to break free of the Sharingan's _Tsukiyomi_. She wasn't blessed with the Sharingan to resist or counter the Genjutsu, but she knew her body extremely well, inside and out, with its strengths and limitations. Death guaranteed immediate Genjutsu release, but Sakura knew her body could only withstand less than a handful of resuscitations in her lifetime, and she had just expunged one of her trump cards.

Sakura stood up and unsheathed Sai's dagger.

"You just saved the person who was about to kill you," Sasuke said.

Sakura furrowed her eyebrows.

"What are you talking about?"

Sasuke laughed.

"Imbecile," Sasuke said, disdain indelibly written on his face.

In an instant, three Kirigakure ANBU shinobi materialized around Sasuke. A frenzied battle took place, but before any of the ANBU shinobi could even touch Sasuke, Chidori blades pierced them. Sasuke raised all three ANBU shinobi in the air. The tomoes in Sasuke's eyes spun and Sakura knew the shinobi were trapped in Sasuke's Genjutsu.

Sasuke extended his Chidori blades—with the shinobi pinned to them—towards Sakura. He kneeled them before her.

Sakura didn't drop her guard and quickly glanced at the shinobi prostrated at her feet.

_Chi_-_chi_-_chi_-_chi_-_chi_-_chi_! the lightning continually sparked. The Chidori blades, Sakura quickly noticed, had avoided vital organs. The ANBU shinobi were alive solely by Sasuke's surprising grace.

"Does he still think shinobi will understand each other?" Sasuke asked. The middle ANBU ninja moved its head. "Interrogate him. Hear for yourself what the world thinks of his dream."

Sakura looked at Sasuke.

"He's under your control."

With a flick of his finger, Sasuke released the Chidori blades. Sakura took careful steps towards the ANBU ninja, her eyes constantly on Sasuke, and placed her hand on the ninja's shoulder, disrupting his flow of chakra.

The moment the ANBU shinobi came to, he withdrew a kunai and attacked Sakura. Sakura parried his attack with her blade. They locked their blades. Taken aback, Sakura cried out, "Why are you attacking me?"

The ANBU ninja refused to explain. He lunged for another attack. Sakura blocked it. Sasuke had deliberately incapacitated the ANBU ninja's left hand to prevent him from forming seals, and the ninja had already lost too much blood from the internal and external hemorrhages to truly be a threat. He was fighting a battle he simply could not win.

"Explain yourself!" Sakura demanded again.

Before the ninja could lunge again, Sakura saw a lightning blade slice cleanly through his neck. Sakura averted her eyes. She heard the thud of the headless corpse hit the ground followed by the sound of the ninja's head.

Sakura turned again to face Sasuke. His eyes were so cold. Expressionless. Devoid of humanity. Her vision began to blur.

"Why don't you just kill me?" Sakura said. It was almost a plea.

Sasuke smiled.

"And put you out of your misery?" Sasuke said.

Sasuke intensified the electric flow of Chidori into one of the remaining ANBU shinobi.

"You see," Sasuke said, "I have learned that the more I kill, the more I taint my hands with blood, the more pain I cause you and Naruto."

Like a master puppeteer, Sasuke flicked his fingers and the Chidori blades broke off into multiple needles into one shinobi. For a moment, it appeared as if the ANBU shinobi's entire body had a rosebush growing inside his body with long electric thorns protruding through the bloodstained flesh.

The body collapsed before Sakura.

"Stop it!" Sakura yelled. "Stop it!"

Sasuke began to take steps toward Sakura.

"Don't worry," Sasuke said, "your time _will_ come. But first, I want you and Naruto to witness as I destroy everything and everyone you have ever loved and hold dear. I want you to see how your beloved Sasuke-kun murders before your eyes. I want you to see all of this and hate yourself because in spite of the monster you see standing here before you, in spite of the blood I shed before you, you can't help yourself but love me."

Sakura covered her face with her hands. She couldn't take it anymore. She did hate herself. Everything Sasuke had said was true. All of it. The more he descended into darkness, the more she wanted to rescue him; the more her love was put to the test, the more she was willing to put her life on the line. She was in pain. Actual physical pain. If only she could tear and be able to live without her heart. If only she could stop caring, stop loving. She knew she was being a fool, a desperate fool pining for someone who was never truly hers, but with Love, Reason and Logic had long been thrown out the window.

Sakura heard a sickening thud. The third ANBU shinobi was dead.

Sasuke's hands pulled apart Sakura's fingers from her face. As Sasuke lowered Sakura's hands, their fingers intertwined. Sakura's green eyes looked into Sasuke's Mangekyo Sharingan.

Sakura felt a cool breeze on her face. She felt a sinking emotion at the pit of her stomach. Sasuke was showing her a vision, but a vision of what?

_So we meet again, Uchiha Sasuke, the Mizukage said. She walked towards Sasuke, flanked by an entourage of bodyguards and ANBU shinobi. They were by a shore, the undulating ocean waves crashing against Sasuke's boat, pushing it in further into the sand. Seagulls flew overhead, circling round and around. Sasuke stood alone._

_Get out of my face, Sasuke said. Or die._

_Dear me, the Mizukage said. Why is it women always want the bad boys, the ones who play hard to get? _


	6. Chapter 6, The Living Past

**C****HAPTER**** VI — T****HE**** L****IVING ****P****AST**

_Uchiha Sasuke gripped the handle of his blade, slit his eyes, and activated the Sharingan._

_The Mizukage remained unfazed._

"_What a charming disposition," the Mizukage said, gesticulating her displeasure. "You invade my territory, threaten to kill me in front of my men, and then demand to be left in peace as you venture inside my domain?" The Mizukage smiled. "I pity the woman who ever becomes your wife."_

_The Mizukage walked toward Sasuke. It was a convoluted and dangerous pas de deux: two vicious vipers cognizant of each other, but each mindful of the venom the other possessed. The Mizukage walked past Sasuke into the sea where the undulating waves crashed onto her feet._

"_Beautiful, isn't it?" the Mizukage said, turning to Sasuke. The celestial blue sea's surface sparkled in the sun's light. The waves' foam gathered and dispersed, seeping into the pristine white sand. "Konohagakure's straight ahead from here. During the war, this beach was littered with bloated corpses." The Mizukage chuckled. "They were Danzo's personal gifts to me. Always the gentleman."_

_The Mizukage left the beach and stood in front of Sasuke._

"_You should have been here during those days," she said. "The stench brought everyone to their knees. So many stomach cavities exploding because of the heat. My civilians couldn't bury our shinobi fast enough before the next batch came in. This white beach was once crimson with the blood and viscera of my men."_

_Sasuke listened nonchalantly. Eyeing the Mizukage's entourage, he said, "And I gather you're commiserating because you want something from me?"_

_The Mizukage raised a visible eyebrow underneath her bangs._

"_Perceptive, aren't we?" the Mizukage said._

"_It's not difficult to sniff out a bitch in heat."_

_Several shinobi unsheathed their weapons. Many formed seals. The Mizukage raised her hand, sawing the air, ordering her men to cease their attacking. The Mizukage wasn't offended. She smiled._

"_You possess," the Mizukage said, turning her attention to her men, "such wondrous genes." She opened her mouth and breathed out. Her visible breath—like warm, moist breath in winter—floated like a mist to the feet of her men. Suddenly, it solidified and became molten lava. It dropped to the sand, percolating on the surface. There were several loud popping noises. Sasuke's shadow clones, buried deep in the ground, were destroyed._

_The Mizukage's shinobi stared at Sasuke in wonder and stupor. The look on their faces told what was plain to see: when had Sasuke completed the seals to summon shadow clones?_

_The Mizukage wiped the corners of her mouth with her middle finger and thumb._

"_I want you," the Mizukage said, "to join my military coalition. Uzumaki Naruto thinks that his recent gestures of peace are enough to cleanse the blood off Konohagakure's hands, but he's terribly mistaken. Konohagakure cannot stand after the war crimes she committed against our shinobi brethren. I can't stand idly by while the dead souls of my men cry out for vengeance."_

_Sasuke shifted his attention to the sea._

"_Why should I care for your war?" Sasuke said._

_The Mizukage smiled. She walked around Sasuke. In a sotto voce, she whispered in Sasuke's ear: "Revenge. You'll be the cadre of the military force that will burn Konohagakure to the ground. Rebuild your clan over the ashes. Strengthen your bloodline through Konohagakure's demise."_

"_Humph," Sasuke said, looking at the Mizukage with the corner of his eyes. Electricity began to flash in the air. Seagulls began to flee. The intensity of the two massive chakras colliding made the air heavy and unbreathable. The sea was beginning to be pushed back. Thunder began to roll overhead._

_The Mizukage's shinobi were visibly agitated, uncertain how to proceed._

_And then—peace._

_Sasuke began to walk away._

_With a simple hand gesture, the Mizukage summoned a solid mud mural from the white sands. It blocked Sasuke's path._

"_Uchiha Sasuke," the Mizukage called out, "I _will not_ be ignored."_

_Sasuke turned around. His eyes gave a murderous intent to kill. _

_The Mizukage smiled and then laughed._

"_Creative," she said, covering her mirth with her hand. "But that's not the way I intend to die."_

Chi-chi-chi-chi-chi! _Eyes locked on the Mizukage, Sasuke formed Chidori in the palm of his hand and impaled the mud mural. It disintegrated into pieces._

"_I do not fraternize with failures," Sasuke said. "You and all of the shinobi nations had your chance. You attacked Konohagakure at full force and you failed."_

_The Mizukage stepped forward. Ire was visible in her footstep._

"_You overestimate the power of the Uchiha," the Mizukage said. "Uzumaki Naruto defeated Uchiha Madara and the Akatsuki and now has the Akatsuki's Tailed Beasts at his disposal. Senju Hashirama had the decency to give every shinobi nation at least one Tailed Beast to balance the power among us, but what does this Uzumaki Naruto do? He reseals the Nine-Tailed Fox inside himself and seals the power of the other Tailed Beasts somewhere inside his Hokage palace. 'No more jinchurikis,' he says. 'No more one-man war machines. Too much pain for the host.' Konohagakure is impenetrable! There is no way you can destroy it alone."_

_Sasuke turned to the Mizukage._

"_The Shinobi Alliance had Killer Bee to counter the Nine-Tailed Fox," Sasuke said. "Naruto never used the power of the other Tailed Beasts in the war. You're drowning."_

"_No," the Mizukage admitted, "but he had the Slug Slut that continually healed his armies. Konohagakure became fearless. Their shinobi took unexpected and brazen risks in battle because they knew the Slug would heal them."_

"_Haruno Sakura," Sasuke said. "Konohagakure's second line of defense."_

"_He's not invincible in battle," the Mizukage said. "The Hokage can be defeated. We defeated him."_

"_Of course," Sasuke said. "One man against a thousand shinobi and three Kages."_

_The Mizukage scowled. Her fingernails were digging deep into palms' flesh._

"_As long as the Hokage has the Nine-Tailed Fox's unlimited chakra reserves," the Mizukage said, "he will demand and require the collective power of the Kages and our most powerful shinobi." The Mizukage smiled and her nails no longer dug in her flesh. "But if we were to have an Uchiha in our coalition, an Uchiha who could neutralize the power of the Nine-Tailed Fox…"_

"_You'd still lose," Sasuke said. "Have you learned nothing about Konohagakure's Will of Fire from your encounters?"_

_The Mizukage looked at Sasuke._

"_The power behind the Hokage's throne," the Mizukage said. "Haruno Sakura. She's the one who keeps Konohagakure's shinobi alive."_

"_You'll never lay a finger on her as long as Naruto's alive," Sasuke said. "And you'll never defeat Naruto as long as she's alive. She was the one who rescued him, didn't she? After all your concerted efforts, she practically resuscitated Naruto from the dead."_

"_And you think you can do better?" the Mizukage demanded._

"_I don't think," Sasuke said. "I know. I know Naruto as I know the power of my eyes."_

"_And what of the Slug?"_

_Sasuke's Sharingan swirled into his Mangekyo Sharingan._

"_I tire of this," Sasuke said. "I will say this one last time: get out of my way or die."_

_The Mizukage raised her chin defiantly._

"_So the Slug is the key, then," the Mizukage said. She toyed with her hair with her fingers and had a pensive look on her face. And then, as if coming to, she said, "If you decide against joining me, then I cannot allow you into my territory. So what's it going to be?"_

_Sasuke looked at the Mizukage._

"_War," he said._

_Sasuke unsheathed his sword. The battle with the Mizukage's bodyguards ensued._

Haruno Sakura's eyes refocused when she was released from the Genjutsu and she found herself at point blank range from Uchiha Sasuke. She looked up at him. That vacuous look in his eyes, she had seen it before. It was the same look that corpses had after the light in their eyes had long since faded away. It was the look of the men and women who had died in the heat of battle with their eyes open and had no one in their environs to show mercy and close their eyes in their final moments. And his skin. It was jaundiced. But he was physically healthy. He was a shinobi specimen at the zenith of his ninja powers and at the apex of his prime. Sakura could see that. She had, after all, healed Sasuke once. She had extracted the disease that had been eating at him from within. She had healed his eyes and restored his vision. But the steely sadness underneath his eyes told her that he had yet to cease crying tears of blood. Yes, she had healed his physicality, but she had long since resigned herself to the fact that she would never be able to cure what Sasuke desperately needed to be healed: his soul.

"Why did you save me?" Sakura asked.

"Because I have no intention of destroying any of Konohagakure's defenses," Sasuke said. "I want the village to throw everything it has at me. I want to feel the joy and pleasure of seeing Konohagakure's shinobi attempt to save what they love and cherish though they know they have neither the power nor strength to stop me. I want to see the look in every shinobi's eyes when they see their village and families burn. I want everyone to feel a modicum of the pain I suffer before they die. And after all that is said and done, only three of us will remain standing on Konohagakure's burning ashes. You see, I have it all planned out for us: that's when we'll have our little reunion. Team Seven. You, Naruto, and I will have our day of reckoning then. And the Uchiha Clan will finally be vindicated and purified. Our name and legacy will be extricated from the filth you, Naruto, and the village have become."

Sakura felt a cold shiver run through her body. She had never been so cold before. The sun's oppressive heat could not keep her warm, much less quell the hairs on the back of her neck from standing on end.

"Thank you," Sakura said, "for saving my life."

Sakura sheathed Sai's dagger and began walking towards the camp. Now was her chance to escape back to Konohagakure and retrieve her team. She needed time to digest what she had just learned and needed to consult with Naruto immediately.

"Where are you going?" Sasuke demanded.

"To be honest, I don't know," Sakura said, turning around to face Sasuke, "but I do know where I've been. And we have done this too many times before. I no longer want to look back, Sasuke. I no longer want to reminisce about a past that's beyond our grasp and try to convince you to think otherwise about taking your revenge on individuals who have nothing to do with your pain. But I'll give Naruto you'll message. We'll be ready."

Sakura turned around to return to the camp, but in the instant that she did, a shadow clone materialized before her and lunged at her and grabbed her by the throat. She was instantly up in the air, her feet dangling in the air, with the shadow clone's grip tightening and tightening around her throat.

"I'm not done," Sasuke said.

Sakura grabbed the shadow clone's wrist and began to apply pressure. She heard the initial crush of bones giving through. The clone, however, still refused to release her from his grip. Finally, Sakura freed herself and landed back on the ground.

"Careful," Sakura said, "you don't have Karin or anyone in your group this time to back you up. You killed them all, remember?"

Sakura crushed the shadow clone's arm completely. The shadow clone exploded. Sakura landed a few feet away. She had thankfully seen the coming explosion and only had the wind knocked out of her.

Sasuke was suddenly behind her. She could feel him. His presence. She could feel and hear his steady breathing behind her. She waited.

"Your move," he said.

"I came here," Sakura said, "with the hope of finally being able to put an end to all of this. I came here hoping to find you and be able to kill you. But now I see that you have grown far beyond the limits of my power."

"Is that so?" Sasuke said into her ear. "How can you possibly know this?"

"Naruto taught it to me," Sakura said. "A first-class ninja can read his opponent's heart just by trading blows with him once. Even without saying a word."

Sakura felt Sasuke stop breathing.

"I didn't understand it then, when you and Naruto fought," Sakura said, "but I do now. I read what was in your heart, and you read what was in mine. What more is there to say?"

Sakura heard the sharp metal of Sasuke's Kusanagi sword's scraping as he began unsheathing it.

"If that's the case," Sasuke said.

Sakura turned and saw the Mizukage smiling at them.

She raised her arms and hands and began clapping.

_Clap_. _Clap_. _Clap_.

"My, my, what a performance," the Mizukage said. "To be in the front row seat of a lover's quarrel."

Sakura felt Sasuke's presence leave her. In an instant, he was standing before the Mizukage.

"Haruno Sakura," the Mizukage said, "it appears we have a common enemy."

"I'm a medical ninja," Sakura said, "I do not have an offensive arsenal capable of rivaling Sasuke."

"But I do," the Mizukage said.

Sasuke's eyes wandered back to Sakura.

"Mizukage-sama," Sakura said, "will you help me defeat Uchiha Sasuke?"

The Mizukage smiled.

"Girl, I'd thought you'd never ask."


	7. Chapter 7, Past and Present Regrets

**C****HAPTER**** VII — P****AST AND ****P****RESENT ****R****EGRETS **

It was one of the most difficult battles Haruno Sakura had ever fought, but she was comforted by the fact that she had Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke at her side. And for the first time since Team Seven had materialized many years ago, Sakura fought side-by-side, shoulder-to-shoulder with her teammates as an equal and valuable asset to the team. She had come far since her early days training under Tsunade. Each had each other's backs. All three shinobi, merely eighteen years old at the time, had already surpassed their former masters and were in a class of their own. The Neo-Sannin. Their names and reputations had reached further than their masters and evoked great respect even in the nations that reviled Konohagakure.

But Danzo had been a beast. The Sharingan eyes on Danzo's arm, his ability to manipulate reality, and his powerful summons: _Rasengan_, _Chidori_, and Sakura's inhuman strength initially seemed ineffective. But they battled, while all the while Konohagakure's shinobi were waiting, hoping, and praying for a new beginning, a new leader to emerge victorious from battle and take the reigns of a nation who was tired of the constant and incessant wars. The shinobi witnessed how Naruto and Sasuke had Danzo preoccupied when Sakura came from behind and with one powerful punch, dealt Danzo his death knell. He was never able to fully recover from that one hit. His movements became slower, his jutsus predictable, but in the end, Danzo proved to be proud. He had refused to admit defeat. He deliberately detonated his body, hoping to take the three young shinobi with him, for in Danzo's eyes, they were nothing but arrivistes that would precipitate the undoing of the village he had dedicated his whole life to preserve.

But he failed.

Sakura had summoned Katsuyu. Out of Katsuyu's entrails came out the three shinobi who had defeated the Sixth Hokage of Konohagakure. They were alive—exhausted and injured—but alive.

It was awkward, Sakura had to admit, standing there, staring at each other, breathing hard as they caught their breath from such a long battle. They had so many things to say to each other, but for some reason, words would never be able to do justice to what they felt, to what they wanted to express.

Naruto smiled a wide smile, the corner of his eyes wrinkled. Such joy. Such happiness. Team Seven reunited. He lifted his hand and gave Sakura and Sasuke a thumb up. It was so typical of him. His good nature was infectious. Sakura couldn't help herself and smiled as well, and when she looked at Sasuke, she saw that even his mouth—usually a straight and stoic line across his face—had the shape of a smile as well. It was a fleeting moment she treasured deeply. If she could just pause that exact moment and live there for all eternity, she would, but it was never meant to be.

A kunai with an exploding tag came towards Sasuke. He parried it, and the explosion separated them. In the ensuing chaos, Konohagakure's ninjas commenced an all out attack on Uchiha Sasuke.

"What are you doing?" Naruto demanded, screaming at the top of his lungs.

From the corner of her eye, Sakura saw a shadow dash across. She didn't have to turn around. She knew it was Nara Shikamaru.

Her knees gave way and she collapsed. She had released her seal in battle and the after effects were taking hold. She could do nothing to help Sasuke.

Her green eyes looked up and for a moment her gaze connected with Sasuke's eyes. The door was closing again. What little ground she had gained with him was being lost.

Don't! she wanted to scream out to him. Don't close yourself up again! I'm here! Take me with you! Her eyes welled with tears as she came to understand once again the new reality she found herself in. I'm losing you again, aren't I, Sasuke?

Sasuke activated his Sharingan. The door was now firmly shut.

_Amaterasu_!

Several shinobi were engulfed in jet-black flames.

"Sasuke!" Naruto screamed. "Stop!"

Sakura cared very little to remember the succeeding events. Sasuke had escaped. Naruto was livid, but Konohagakure's shinobi justified their actions. Uchiha Sasuke, after all, was a "wanted criminal," a "degenerate renegade," and was "hunted by all shinobi nations." It didn't matter if Konohagakure didn't have a Hokage. The orders were explicit. Uchiha Sasuke was to be—if manageably possible—killed the instant he was sighted.

Sakura wondered if Naruto had seen Sasuke closing himself to them and to the world. She wasn't sure, and she had never bothered to ask because she didn't want to relive the moment again, but she had seen it, if only for an ephemeral moment, the pain of rejection in Sasuke's eyes. He had been accepted by Naruto and Sakura, but the rejection of his village, his former country, was absolute. Konohagakure's collective distaste had pushed down on him and he had reacted violently towards it. He was lost once again in the penumbras of his personal demons.

Three years had since passed with occasional reports about his whereabouts. He had murdered his former teammates and all villagers in all of the shinobi nations feared him. To the superstitious, he was the most powerful unholy of demons. Report after report after report of Sasuke's merciless murders and vindictive actions against innocents drove Naruto into despondency. He still had faith in Sasuke. He still wanted him to return to his village, to his home.

A lot can happen and change in three years, Sakura thought. She was twenty-one now, one of the Hokage's closest advisors, and was indisputably the most renowned and skilled medical specialist in all of the shinobi world, but it seemed her past and her fate with Sasuke would always keep coming back to haunt her.

Haruno Sakura had been sent on a mission to aid the Mizukage, but before she knew it, she once again stood before Uchiha Sasuke and still found herself wavering with how to proceed with him. Was he even capable of human emotion or compassion anymore? The more she looked at him, the more he reminded her of his former master, Orochimaru. Orochimaru had used other bodies as vessels to transfer his soul into them, and it had been the cumulative use of forbidden jutsu, along with Orochimaru's own malicious malice, that had made him inhuman. But Sasuke was different. His body was merely a shell trying to contain a burgeoning explosive rage that threatened to detonate and take all of those caught in its environs with him into oblivion. He was cold, more dead than alive, living without being able to live, and dying without being able to die.

Sakura felt for him. It pained her to see Sasuke in his current state. He was a black hole that destroyed anyone and everything around him, and she knew that it was time for her to reaffirm her resolve to end his life. Perhaps it was the best thing for her to do.

Sakura looked at the Mizukage. The Mizukage displayed no fear before the Uchiha. The constant pressure to keep her domain in order, and the clear and present danger of a _coup d'état _had hardened her heart and created within her a will of iron. Sakura had a valuable ally with the Mizukage, but if they were able to kill Sasuke, the moment Sasuke breathed his last the Mizukage would inevitably become her enemy. Even Sakura couldn't surmise if she could possibly emerge as the victor in a battle against a ninja of her caliber.

The Mizukage charged toward Sasuke and commenced an attack.

"_Doton: Ganchūrō no Jutsu_!"

Multiple earth pillars immediately sprung from the ground, attempting to ensnare Sasuke like bars from a prison cell. Sasuke, cool and collected, did a simple hand seal and his whole person was enveloped with lightning currents.

"_Chidori Nagashi_!"

The earth pillars collapsed under the power of the lightning currents, breaking asunder around Sasuke. Sasuke placed his right hand before him and channeled all of the lightning current into his right hand, forming a _Chidori_ orb on the palm of his hand. The Mizukage was still charging at him, forming her own seals, but Sasuke took _Chidori_ and slammed the lightning orb into the ground.

Sakura instinctively reacted. There was no way the Mizukage would be able to finish her jutsu in time. Sakura slammed her fist into the ground, upturning the earth between the Mizukage and Sasuke into multiple clods. The lightning current, unable to travel underground anymore, zigzagged and thundered into the air.

The Mizukage stopped charging .

Sasuke's body language was in a fighting stance directed towards the Mizukage, but his eyes turned toward Sakura.

"I see," Sasuke said. "It's going to become troublesome fighting both of you at the same time."

*****Special Note: I apologize for the long delay. I've been terribly busy these past few weeks. Hopefully this short chapter helps bridge the gap between the first part and this one (thanks for your review and insight silverpetz!). I'll try my best to update the upcoming battle as soon as possible. And thank you for your comments and reviews!**


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